The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-01
DAVIS ON THE BANNERS.
THEIR RESTORATION WOULD BE
A PLEASANT INCIDENT.
The South, However, Not Particularly

The South, However, Not Particularly
Anxious to Secure Them Instances
Cited Which Might be Taken as
Precedents Permitting Their Return
The Restoration of Democratic
Principles.
BALTIMORE, June 30.-The Sun has the
following letter from jefferson Davis in
reference to the return of the Southern bat
tie flags: ''If the object now be to unite the
people Of the North and South as brethren
in the Union, as means to that end every
signof the past conflict should, as far as prac-
ticable, be obliterated To retain as point
of pride flag captured in battle by either
Union or Confederate soldiers would be
equivalent to renewed exultation of triumph
by one or the other, and surely not a step
toward the restoration of peace. The flags
captured from a foreign enemy may be
retained as trophies after peace, but here
the cessation of hostilities is not pretended
to be equivalent to determination.
FLAGS RETURNED.
II have heard of various instances in
which Southern soldiers, having retained
flags captured in battle, did, after the war,
send them back to the organization from
which they were captured, and have heard
of no instance when such trophy has been
displayed at a reunion of Southern soldiers
to manifest their success in
battle over their Northern brethren
Our men fought for principle, and that they
have not surrendered, but rather hOpelessly
lived to see the good sense of Northern men
revert to the teachings of their sires, and
re-establish the government according to
the constitution on which it is founded.
That is the only victory which would be to
them and their children thing to be priced
and glorified
FLAGS LEFT AT RICHMOND.
when the Confederate government evac-
uated Richmond, many flags captured in
battle were deposited in the war Office in
Richmond So far as | know, they were all
left there and found by the United States
troops when they entered the city. This
would at least exhibit proof of the fact that
the South did not wish to treasure up such
evidence of any triumphs it ever had over
the North. When Washington received the
surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown
he required the British colors to be delivered
TO him in cases. The United States govern
ment presented those flags to Gen. Wash
ington, and he left them to George Wash
ington Parke Custis, by whom they were
entrusted to me when | was Secretary of
War, and left in the war office at Washing
ton. Though these were foreign flags, and
signs of a very memorable occasion, the
then United States government did not
deem them of sufficient importance to be
exhibited as trophies of victory over a
former enemy, but presented them to the
soldiers to whom they had been surrendered
ATTITUDE OF THE SOUTH.
"The South has manifested no desire to
have possession of the flags lost in battle
Their value departed when they were sur
rendered, and the excitement which has
been created over the proposition to return
both to the North and South the flags they
had lost in battle, seems very like tempest
in teapot Whether they should lie and
be consumed by moth in the boxes of the
United States War office, or be re-
turned to their former owners, has
one element of value which is that the res
tOration would be declaration such as the
old Romans made, that there should be no
triumph for victory won in civil war So
far as it should express the feeling of re-
stored fraternity it would be an advance to-
wards that condition which all reasonable
men will recognize as desirable among those
who are to live together"